In order to properly market battery operated hand-held devices it is necessary to allow for the consumer to not only observe the device being considered for purchase but also to hold, handle and even operate that device. Examples of such devices that are typically marketed in electronic stores include cameras, phones, MP3 players, PDA's such as BlackBerry's, and global position system units or the like. It is necessary to display the unit predominantly so that the consumer can easily access and investigate the features of each hand-held device being considered for purchase. At the same time, the retail outlet requires that the displayed devices be also secured to prevent theft of the unit.
It is known in the art to provide such devices for displaying and securing of the units. Examples of these systems are found in the prior art namely, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/708,243 to Rabinowitz et al., which provides a teaching of the display of a hand-held unit and the monitoring of the status of the unit using a tether for controlling the motion of a hand-held unit, for continuously recharging the battery operated unit, and at the same time for delivering product information about the device selected by a potential customer. Each tether has two electrically conductive metal cables of stainless-steel but also use of coaxial cables is contemplated. The construction of such a coaxial cable however is never described.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,403,117 to Leyden et al., teaches a security system for hand-held devices wherein the portable articles are attached to a tether having a given length and with the portable device being movable relative to its home position and wherein the system signals and triggers any movement of the portable article. The tether used in this system is in the form of a flexible cord which accumulates on a reel and allows the unit being displayed to move between a home position and a paid out position. The system includes a switch that defines the two states of the system namely at the home position and at the paid out position. A spring is provided which engages a portion of the switch to change the switch from the first state to the second state. An alarm may be generated as a result of the system going to the second state.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,277 also to Leyden et al., describes a security assembly for monitoring an article which includes a flexible tether including two electrical conductors which define first and second conductive paths for the tether. One of the ends of the tether includes an enlargement 80 being substantially cylindrical in form which may be inserted in the cavity or pocket 82. A conductive element 90 is also provided wrapped around the tether cable. This teaching contemplates the use of strictly mechanical, electrical, or combination of electrical/mechanical monitoring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,771 also now U.S. Reissue Pat. No. RE37,590 to Leyden et al., teaches in FIG. 7 an alarm system which cooperates with a retractable sensor seen in FIG. 4 including a multiconductor cable engaged with the splitter box 202 which can control up to six sensors as best seen in FIG. 9 so that the splitter box can be daisy-chained to add additional sensors as well.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/112,386 also to Leyden et al., teaches a security system for a portable article including a tether having a predetermined length which allows movement of the article within a confined movement relative to the initial position of the unit. The security system includes a response that is triggered as the portable article is repositioned and the flexible cord is drawn from a spool which includes a switch to indicate the change of state of the system. In this manner the state of the system may be monitored and in fact displayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,822 teaches as best seen in FIG. 12 a conductive element for a product display system which includes wires which are concentric and which include insulating layers thereby providing a unitary cord assembly. The tether of the reference includes a mechanical cable as well as an electrical conductor. The mechanical aspect of the cable is provided to resist severance of the tether.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,076 to Bullock et al., teaches an easily strippable composite dielectric coaxial signal cable. As best seen in the Figures this coaxial signal cable includes a solid or stranded metal center surrounded by a second continuous dielectric layer and may be further wrapped with a metal-plated or metallized polymer tape, such as aluminized tape which is preferred. The metals of the conductors, for example the drain wire and the outer conductor may be selected from the group consisting of copper, metal-plated copper, copper alloys, and aluminum.
These above-mentioned references represent the closest prior art known to the Applicant which relate directly to the teachings which went before the present invention.
In spite of the many systems that are available in the prior art nowhere within the prior art is there taught a compact and robust system for displaying, securing and charging hand-held battery operated devices in standardized format which provides for positive engagement and powering of the security system.
It is therefore a primary objective of this invention to obviate the deficiencies in the prior art by providing a display system which is robust and provides both mechanical and electrical security for the hand-held devices being displayed.
It is yet a further objective of the invention to provide a coaxial cable assembly manufactured from strong robust coaxial cable as a conductor including at the ends thereof connectors to both the mounting device for the hand-held unit proximate one end and to a reel system proximate the other end.
According to yet another objective of the invention there is provided a coaxial cable which may be used to secure and charge the hand-held devices being displayed in a security system.
It is yet a further objective of the invention to provide a unique reel assembly which includes a compact module for charging the hand-held unit being displayed through the cable and also through the reel assembly.
It is yet a further objective of the invention to power each reel used for securing and charging each device being displayed in connecting said reel to a router module which is the source of power.
According to yet another objective of the invention there is provided a control router system which provides power to a multiplicity of hand-held devices through the unique coaxial cable disposed on a reel.
It is yet a further objective of the invention to provide within said reel assembly a flat coil spring disposed within a spring module which may be inserted into the center of the reel assembly adjacent the hub and thereby provides the resilient biasing of the system.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide a unique mounting pad for securing and charging the hand-held device.
In yet another objective of the invention a module is provided to power the hub with the recoiler assembly in a unique manner which is also used along with compatible and cooperating elements within both devices to monitor the status of the system.
Further and other objectives of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.